Embroidery

The art of decoration of fabric or other material with threads, wires or leather using a needle may be defined as embroidery. With the advent of sophisticated machines, embroidery is possible by machines also, especially for repetitive volume work. But, it is the hand embroidery that continues to fascinate mankind for thousands of years. Traditionally, women have been practicing this art from time immemorial. But in the last few decades, men have pickup tis craft in a big way. There are scores of embroidery stitches practiced by various communities lobally. Embroidered fabrics are not only used for apparel. It is widely used in furnishing and to create unique decorative pieces of art.

The art of phulkari has its origins in the early part of the 19th century when the odhini or head cloth was hoghlighted with embroidered flowers. Phulkari, literally flower-crafting, comprises of the...

Kasuti embroidery is a special craft practised mainly in Uttara Kanara district or North Kanara district. Its secret lies in the fact that it can be done only by counting the threads of the weft and...

The Mathurias of Andhra Pradesh, a tribe found only in Adilabad, inhabit the forest area and, being nomadic, move from place to place looking for agricultural work on land. The women use cross-stitch...

This area has a unique type of embroidery that uses one stitch, in deference to the weavers in the area. This is done in dark matching shade with untwisted silk thread on the border of the phanek (a...

Embroidery in Bihar is passed from mother to her daughter as a craft. Kasida embroidery with geometrical patterns of Bihar resembles to the kasuti embroidery of Mysore and is found in many different...

Syrian embroidery, the first to find its way into Kerala, is no longer practised here. The embroidery actually practised now has been introduced by the London Mission Society in the first quarter of...

In Haryana embroidered fabrics retain their age-old social values for they are among the treasures given to the bride at her marriage. The favourite motifs are the mor-morni (peacock and peahen), and...

The word Applique is a French term and is a technique where in several pieces of coloured fabrics is superimposed in patches to give a decorative effect. The patches are then sewn to the base fabric...

Land of Shivaji is famous for its Kasuti embroidery .This art was initally practiced on sarees which is the traditional ware of Maharashtra female folks. Holbein, wave and cross stiches are the main...

Kantha is the most popular embroidery of West Bengal done with folk motifs. Other embroideries include the chikan work, the zari work and Kashida. The fine subtle form of chikan embroidery is usually...